Management of cat and dog allergy in a family with an allergic child that wants to get a pet
Question:
10/6/2024
I have a family member whose 12-year-old daughter is allergic to cat and dog. She has allergic conjunctivitis and mild intermittent asthma. Family wants to get cat or dog for her. Is there any hypoallergenic dog? The family wants to get it for emotional support. If there is no hypoallergenic dog, which is a better option cat or a dog?
Answer:
There are no hypoallergenic dogs. The smaller the dog, the less the dog grooms itself, the less the dog sheds, the lower the level of dog dander antigens there are in the local environment.
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/hypoallergenic-dogs/
Konieczny A, Morgenstern JP, Bizinkauskas CB, et al. The major dog allergens, Can f 1 and Can f 2, are salivary lipocalin proteins: cloning and immunological characterization of the recombinant forms. Immunology. 1997 Dec;92(4):577-86.
The production of Fel d 1 may vary somewhat by breed, but all cats produce Fel d 1. There is wide variation among individual cats regardless of breed and there are no truly hypoallergenic or allergen-free cat breeds.
Bonnet B, Messaoudi K, Jacomet F, et al. An update on molecular cat allergens: Fel d 1 and what else? Chapter 1: Fel d 1, the major cat allergen. Allergy Asthma Clin Immunol. 2018 Apr 10;14:14.
The only way to accurately determine for a specific individual the relative severity of clinical symptoms associated with exposure in a home environment to a specific cat or dog would be a challenge test. A reasonable starting point might be to foster a cat or dog from the Humane Society to see if the clinical symptoms are manageable.
Eric Macy, MD, MS, FAAAAI